Are McLaren about to drop silver livery?

[John S]

Team merchandise for 2011 features black caps, shirts and jackets.                                   
Surely we are not going to have another black paint job on the grid, mind you with the large presence of Vodafone red on the car it would end up more like Virgin than Genii Renault/Lotus.

According to speculation in F1 circles, McLaren could be set to drop most of the silver from its car livery for the 2011 season.

Last year, after the shareholding split with Mercedes was announced, it was rumoured then that Woking based McLaren might adopt a substantially new livery -- given Mercedes GP's plans for a similarly silver car.

Team boss Martin Whitmarsh said then: "It (the silver) is a McLaren brand colour; it works for our partners and us."

Mercedes, however, ramped up its 'Silver Arrows' rhetoric throughout 2010 and now remains only an engine supplier to McLaren, with the shareholding ever diluted.

Indeed, this year, Daimler's stake is scheduled to have been entirely bought back by McLaren.

A hint about McLaren's branding and livery plans for 2011 is in the new official merchandising range for the forthcoming season.

For example, gone are the silver team caps of 2010, replaced by mainly black ones for 2011. The team crew and management-style shirts and jackets are also black.

Updatef1.com, Today.

[Ian]

Shame, I like the look of the McLaren.

[cosworth151]

I wouldn't mind seeing them go back to the old McLaren orange. I know they've painted pre-season test cars that way from time to time.

[Jericoke]

I too have enjoyed the Silver McLarens, but I understand that the sport is driven by sponsorship, and if they're going to pay an extra $20 million to paint your car their colour, then so be it.

I know that Lotus(for now  ) is going with green already, but if McLaren wants to play up the 'Team England' angle, why not go with British Racing Green?  It will give the grid a bit of a classic look to have more teams running 'national colours'.

(I'm cool with McLaren Orange too.)

[David]

Ferrari's will always be red, sponsors change their colours for them. 

[Jericoke]

Ferrari's will always be red, sponsors change their colours for them. 

Ferrari used to be a deeper red, until Marlboro payed them to paint it a brighter red.

I can only imagine what internet newsgroups must've thought at the time!

[Canada Darrell™]

Up until that black Lotus was unveiled I always thought the McLaren had the best livery in F1. I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with should they indeed change.

[lkjohnson1950]

Strictly speaking, though they have always been based in England, McLaren was founded as a New Zealand team. The team emblem was a Kiwi bird on a shield. The first cars were painted Orange until sponsors paid them to change. If they are choosing their own colors orange would be entirely appropriate.

Lonny

[cosworth151]

The team has just tweeted that they are staying with the Rocket Red & Chrome that we're used to.

http://www.racer.com/mclaren-to-stick-with-chrome-color-scheme/article/193808/?DCMP=EMC-RACER_DAILY

[Scott]

Didn't they spend a small fortune just developing that chrome paint?  I think anything looks good on chrome (as opposed to chrome looking good on anything) - I'm sure most sponsors would be pleased to have their logo outlined in chrome.  Let's hope they stick with it.